Toy loom



I. S. ROBERTS March a was;

TOY LOOM Filed Nov. 5,

1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 8, 1938. s ROBERTS 2,110,822

TOY LOOM Filed Nov. 5, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g} fry/2m amazs 6y Qzforneye m rfiawn/ Patented Mar. 8, 1938 ATNT orries TOY LO OM Ingham S. Roberts, Ridley Park, Pa.

Application November 5, 1935, Serial No. 48,412

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in toy looms for use in weaving designs and other objects from variously colored yarns, strips of cloth, strings of beads and the like. The principal object of the present invention is to providea device of the character set forth which is novelly constructed to eliminate interweaving of the weft and warps and therefore permits .a comparatively young child to operate the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the stated character which is of relatively rugged, simple construction and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention and the features and details of construction thereof are set forth hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective embodying the present invention. v I

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the device showing the movable warp threads in one operative position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to the disclosure in Fig. 2 showing the movable warp threads in another operable position.

Fig. 4 is .a fragmentary view in elevation showing a modification of the mounting for the movable warps; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing certain details of construction of the device.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a toy loom made in accordance with the present invention comprises a substantially flat rectangular base structure I having feet or the like 2 secured adjacent the several corners at the under side thereof. A plurality of elements 3 are mountedvertically on the upper surface of the base I and arranged in alignment .at equally spaced intervals with respect to each other transversely of said base and adjacent one end thereof. Each of the elements 3 is provided with a vertical slot 4 in the upper end thereof which is disposed lengthwise of the base i and undercut laterally or transversely at its lower end as indicated at 5 in Fig. 5.

A cross member 6 is fixedly mounted on supports or uprights I in horizontally spaced relation with respect to the upper surface of the base I adjacent the opposite end thereof from the elements 3 and parallel to the latter. A plurality of grooves 8 are formed at equally spaced intervals in the upper surface of the member 6 and arranged so that each thereof is in co-axial alignment with the groove 4 in the upper end of a corresponding element 3 and a second set of similar grooves 9 are also formed in the upper sur- A plurality of stationary or fixed warps I0 extend between the aforementioned cross member 6 and elements 3 and are attached or otherwise secured to any suitable means such as a hook Ii mounted on the upper surface of the base I .adja* cent the right-hand end thereof with respect to H Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The warps iii are threaded or strung between the member 6 and elements 3 by first securing one end of the thread or string to the hook II. The thread or string is the'ninserted in the groove 8 adjacent one end of said member 6 and carried over and through the groove 4 in the corresponding element 3 which is in alignment with said groove 8. The string is then passed about the element 3 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, being supported at the desired elevation above the base I by means of the transverse undercut portions 5 at the lower end of the vertical slots 4 in said element 3. The string is then returned through the same grooves 4 and 8 in a reverse direction and engaged by the hook I I. The warps Ill are threaded between the remaining grooves 8 in the member 6 and the aligned grooves 4 in the elements 3 in a manner similar to that just described.

In the present instance angular frame members I2 are pivotally mounted on the cross mem ber 6 by engaging an inwardly turned end portion I3 of each thereof with suitably formed sockets i l in the opposite end faces of said cross member 6, said end portions I3 being arranged to fit snugly within said sockets I4 so that the frame elements I2 will be retained in the position to which the same may be pivoted. The opposite end portions of the frame members I2 extend downwardly as at I5 substantially at right-angles with respect to the central or mid-portion 56 thereof and a second cross member l'I having a handle I8 and arranged for movement with the frame members I 2 relative to the cross member 6, is secured intermediate the extremities of said end portions I5 which turn inwardly and snugly engage sockets formed in the opposite end faces of said cross member I'I, said opposite end faces being also provided with a vertical groove therein for engagement by adjacent portions of the ends I5 to prevent relative rotation of the cross member I! with respect to the frame members l2. A plurality of grooves l9 are formed at equally spaced intervals in the upper surface of the member I! and arranged so that each thereof is in substantial alignment with the grooves 9 in the top surface of the stationary cross member 6, said grooves l9 communicating with a groove l'l-a formed in the outer face of the cross member I'l longitudinally thereof which functions to retain the warps 20 in the desired relationship with respect to each other and said cross member II.

A particular feature of the invention resides in the provision of a plurality of warps 20 which are arranged in alternately spaced relation with respect to the aforementioned stationary or fixed warps l and extend between the stationary cross member 6 and the cross member I! carried by the frame member l2, said warps 20 being pivotable therewith. The warps 2B are threaded through the grooves 9 in the upper surface of the stationary member 6 and the aligned grooves IS in the movable cross member 11 in a manner substantially similar to that described above in connection with the threading of the stationary warps It], the said warps 20 being attached or otherwise secured to the hook it! on the upper surface of the base l. By the foregoing construction it will be observed that the frame members I 2, cross member I! and the warps 20 carried thereby may be pivoted with respect to the fixed cross member 6 and the warps ill to posiitons both above and below the latter at an acute angle with respect thereto.

If desirable, the frame members l2 and the cross member I! carried thereby may be pivotally mounted with respect to the stationary cross member 6 in the manner shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and referring particularly to said Fig. 4 it will be seen that said frame members are in this instance of substantially inverted U-shape, having the right-hand end portions thereof depending downwardly as indicated at 2| in a manner similar to the opposite end portions l thereof, said frame members being pivoted to the opposite end faces of the stationary cross member 6 by means of pins 22 which extend through apertures formed in the bend of said frame members l2 intermediate said depending portions 2! and the central or mid-portions l6 thereof. In the present instance the extremities of the depending end portions 2! engage friction plates 23 secured to the base I at a predetermined point along the side edges thereof for the purpose of retaining the frame members [2 and movable warps 26 carried thereby in the angular position to which the same may be pivoted with respect to the warps Hi. In the present instance stops 24 may or may not be provided adjacent the friction plates 23 for engagement by the end portions 2| of the frame members l2 as desired.

By pivotally mounting the Warp strips 2|] in the foregoing manner so that the same may be positioned both above and below the plane of the stationary warps l9, passage of the weft transversely with respect to the warps is greatly facilitated, and by further constructing the movable warp assembly so that the same is supported at one end thereof said weft may be passed freely into the open angle and between the warps l6 and respectively when the latter are in the position shown in Fig. 3, thus eliminating the necessity for inter-weaving of the weft with respect to the warps and rendering operation of the loom comparatively easy for younger children. When the warps 20 are in a position below the warps ID as shown in Fig. 2, substantial clearance is afforded for relatively free passage of the weft shuttle therebetween.

In operation of the loom to weave designs or other objects from variously colored yarns the movable warps 20 are pivoted on the frame members l2 to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and the weft passed inwardly of the open angle intermediate the warps l0 and 20 so that the same is positioned transversely with respect thereto adjacent the cross member 6. The movable warps 20 are then pivoted downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings below the warps l0 and the shuttle carrying the same weft or one of another color is similarly passed transversely between the warps l0 and 29 through the opening provided therebetween. The movable warp threads 20 are then again positioned above the warps l0 and the weft is inserted inwardly of the open angle afforded between the warps adjacent the preceding weft extending transversely thereof and so on until the design is completed. The wefts should be forced in the direction of the stationary cross member 6 periodically during the weaving of a design to render the latter more compact and any suitable means such as a comb or ruler may be effectively employed for this purpose. It will be seen therefore that by alternately positioning the movable warps 20 above and below the warps ID for each traverse of the weft, the same may be freely passed between the warps and a child may readily weave any desirable design or other object without the necessity of inter-weaving the weft alternately above and below the successively adjacent warps.

While a specific embodiment of the invention and the manner of stringing the warps has been set forth and illustrated for descriptive purposes, it is not intended that the invention be precisely limited to the disclosure herein but that changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction thereof and the manner of threading the warps within the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In a toy loom, the combination with a structure constituting a base, of supporting means mounted thereon in relatively spaced relation, a plurality of stationary warps extending between said supporting means in parallel spaced relation, a cross member, other warps extending between one of the supporting means and said cross member in alternately spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned warps, and frame members connected to said cross member and frictionally engaging recesses in one of said supporting means so that said other warps may be pivoted to positions at either side of the first mentioned warps and remain in the position to which pivoted.

2. In a toy loom, the combination with a structure constituting a base, of supporting means mounted thereon in relatively spaced relation, a plurality of stationary warps extending therebetween in parallel spaced relation, a cross memher, a movable frame structure comprising side members connected to said cross member, and a plurality of other warps extending between one of said supporting means and the cross member in alternately spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned stationary warps for movement with said frame structure to positions at either side of the first mentioned warps, said side members including end portions depending toward said cross member in a direction bearing upon that taken by the cross member when approaching said base structure.

3. In a toy loom, a combination with a structure constituting a base, of a plurality of vertical members supported by said structure, a cross member also supported by the base structure in parallel spaced relation to said vertical members, a plurality of spaced parallel warps extending between said cross member and the vertical members, a second cross member, other warps extending between the first mentioned cross member and said second cross member in alternately spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned warps, and frame members connected to said second cross member and frictionally engaging recesses in said first cross member so that said other warps may be pivoted to positions at either side of the first mentioned warps and remain in the position to which pivoted.

4. In a toy loom, a combination with a structure constituting a base, of a plurality of vertical members supported by said structure, a cross member also supported by the base structure in parallel spaced relation to said vertical members, a plurality of spaced parallel warps extending between said cross member and the vertical members, a second cross member, other warps extending between the first mentioned cross member and said second cross member in alternately spaced relation with respect to the first mentioned warps, and frame members connected to said second cross member and pivotally mounted with respect to said first cross member so that said other warps may be pivoted to positions at either side of the first mentioned warps, said frame members including end portions depending toward the second cross member in a direction bearing upon that taken by said second cross member when approaching the base structure.

5. In a toy loom, the combination with a structure constituting a base, of a plurality of vertical members having vertical grooves in the upper ends thereof supported by said structure, a cross member also supported by the base structure in parallel spaced relation to said vertical members, said cross member having grooves therein arranged so that every other one thereof is in substantial alignment with the grooves in the vertical members, a plurality of warps extending between the cross member and said vertical members through the grooves in each thereof, a second cross member having grooves therein arranged in substantial alignment with the remaining grooves in the first cross member, other warps extending between said first mentioned cross member and said second cross member through the grooves in each thereof, and frame members connected to said second cross member and pivotally mounted with respect to said first cross member so that said other warps may be pivoted to positions at either side of the first mentioned warps, said frame members being frictionally mounted so that the same will remain in the position to which pivoted.

6. In a toy loom, the combination with a structure constituting a base, of a plurality of vertical members havingvertical grooves in the upper ends thereof supported by said structure, a cross member also supported by the base structure in spaced relation to said vertical members, said cross member having grooves therein arranged so that every other one thereof is in substantial alignment with the grooves in said vertical members, a plurality of warps extending between said cross member and vertical members through the grooves in each thereof, a second cross member having grooves therein arranged in substantial alignment with the remaining grooves in the first cross member, other warps extending between the first mentioned cross member and said second cross rnlember through the grooves in each thereof, and frame members connected to said second cross member and pivoted on said first cross member so that said other warps may be pivoted to positions at either side of the first mentioned warps.

7. In a toy loom, the combination with a structure constituting a base, of a plurality of vertical members having vertical grooves in the upper ends thereof supported by said structure, a cross member also supported by the base structure and spaced from said vertical members, said cross member having grooves therein arranged so that every other one thereof is in substantial alignment with the grooves in said vertical members, a plurality of warps extending between said cross member and vertical members through the grooves in each thereof, a second cross member having grooves therein arranged in substantial alignment with the remaining grooves in the first cross member, other warps extending between the first mentioned cross member and said second cross member through the grooves in each thereof, and frame members connected to said second cross member and. having their other ends pivotally mounted with respect to said first cross member so that said other warps may be pivoted to positions at either side of the first mentioned warps, said frame members including end portions depending toward the second cross member in a direction bearing upon that taken by said second cross member when approaching the base structure.

INGHAM S. ROBERTS. 

